Welsh Olympic Competitors
The following 30 competitors competed in the London 2012 Olympic Games:
(Click on the links below to read each athlete’s biography.)
Hannah Mills - Sailing
Fred Evans - Boxing
Andrew Selby - Boxing
Georgia Davies - Swimming
Ieuan Lloyd - Swimming
Helen Jenkins - Triathalon
Jemma Lowe - Swimming
David Davies - Swimming
Sarah Thomas - Hockey
Elena Allen - Shooting
Jade Jones - Taekwondo
Tom James MBE -Rowing
Victoria Thornley - Rowing
Chris Bartley - Rowing
Gareth Evans -Weightlifting
Natasha Perdue - Weightlifting
Geraint Thomas - Cycling
Nicole Cooke MBE - Cycling
Dai Greene - 400m hurdles (Captain of Team GB Athletic squad)
Christian Malcolm - 200m
Ryan Giggs - Football (Captain of Team GB)
Craig Bellamy - Football
Joe Allen - Football
Neil Taylor - Football
Aaron Ramsey - Football
Marco Loughran - Swimming
Brett Morse - Discus
Rhys Williams - Athletics
Frankie Jones - Rhythmic Gymnastics
Gareth Warburton - 800m
Biographies:
Hannah Mills - Sailing
From: Cardiff
DOB: 29 February 1988
Event: 470 Women
Mills sails on in her quest for gold at the London Olympics after pairing up with Beijing Olympian Saskia Clark earlier this year in the 470 Class.
The duo came back from a difficult start to their regatta series to claim bronze at the European Championships recently - their third medal from the four major events they’ve contested since teaming up in February, including silvers at the Skandia Sail for Gold and Hyeres Regatta.
Mills and Clark have now been named in the Team GB at the official test event for the London 2012 Olympic sailing competition, which runs from July 29 to August 11 at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.
Hannah began her sailing career at the age of eight in the Optimist, a single handed boat. By the age of 14 she had won every major UK title competing regularly in mixed fleets of 300 boy and girl sailors. In 2002 she was awarded the prestigious MDL Young Sailor of the Year Award at the London Boat Show as recognition of her achievement.
In 2003 she bettered this performance by winning the Optimist Girls World championship and finishing 5th overall in the combined boys and girls fleets. A feat no other British sailor has ever achieved. She was nominated for the Sunday Times Women in Sport newcomer award where she was the runner-up.
Hannah then moved into the double handed 420. She rose to the challenge and after only 6 weeks in the boat qualified for the World Championships in Australia where, in January 2004 she won the U.17 Ladies World title.
By the end of the summer of 2006 she and her crew had won the 420 Junior European Ladies title twice, the UK National championships, the RYA Youth Nationals and the Ladies open World championship. This title had not been won by a British sailor for six years. In 2005 Hannah and her crew were selected as the GB representative at the ISAF Youth Worlds, in Busan Korea, where they finished 4th.
Later in 2006 Hannah moved into the double-handed 470 Olympic boat and has won both the U22 Ladies World and European titles.
Fred Evans - Boxing
From: Cardiff
DOB: 04 February 1991
Event: 69kg (welterweight)
Club: St Joseph’s, Newport
A fearless boxer with a renowned punch and skills to match, Evans’ potential was recognised early in his boxing career, after several impressive international performances at junior level. His achievements include gold in the European Cadet Championships in Hungary in 2007.
In 2008 he was one of only three boxing prospects the British Olympic Association flew out to Beijing during the Olympic Games, as part of their Olympic Ambition Scheme. He travelled to Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Jim Davison, Development squad coach describes Fred as: “A courageous, very talented and experienced boxer who is more than holding his own on the development squad, and on the fringe of breaking through to Podium.”
His career highlight to date is winning gold at the European Championships in June 2011. Together with fellow Andrew Selby, they became the first Welshmen to become European Champions in 86 years.
His club coach is Tony Borg.
Andrew Selby - Boxing
From: Barry
Club: Splott ABC, Cardiff
DOB 25 December 1988
Weight: 52 kg (Flyweight)
Selby has already won two gold medals at European tournaments with the GB team. In 2009, he also became GB Champion. Selby has entered the history books as the first senior boxer from Wales to win a medal (bronze) at the 2008 European Championships. Even Calzaghe didn’t manage it.
But his career highlight to date is winning gold at the European Championships in June 2011. Together with fellow Fred Evans, they became the first Welshmen to become European Champions in 86 years.
Nicknamed ‘Smowgley’, he joined the local gym because his father and his “gramp” both boxed. And forget fast cars – Selby takes time out by playing bingo, snooker and likes to go fishing. He’s 5ft 4” and has been boxing for 14 years. He has won 70 of 90 bouts.
His club coach is Pat Mahoney.
Georgia Davies - Swimming
From: Swansea
DOB: 11 October 1990
Event: 50m & 100m Backstroke
After joining a swimming club with her best friend at 10 years-old, Swansea’s Georgia has gone on to swim competitively since.
Georgia has always found representing her country a real honour and gained her first international medal in the European Junior Championships.
She was selected as part of the squad to travel to the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2008 and dreams of competing in the Olympics.
Then, at the Commonwealth Games in 2010, Georgia took bronze in the 50m backstroke while also finishing fourth in the medley relay with a personal best/welsh record split of 60.9 for her backstroke leg.
Ieuan Lloyd - Swimming
From: Penarth
DOB: 09 July 1993
Event: 200m Individual Medley
Penarth-born Ieuan is one of Wales’ up-and-coming stars.
After his Dad taught him to swim at just three years-old, Ieuan joined Cardiff Swimming Club at the tender age of six and now trains at Cardiff International Pool with coach Dave Haller.
Ieuan started breaking records at just 15 when he smashed the British Age Group 200m record, he then went on to win silver at the UK School Games in 2008 and last year won the gold in the 200m at the European Youth Olympic Festival.
In 2011, the avid Cardiff City fan won gold in the 200m Individual Medley at the European Junior Championships and anchored the 4x200m freestyle relay to gold.
Helen Jenkins - Triathlon
From: Bridgend (Born Elgin, Scotland)
DOB: 08 March 1984
Event: Triathlon
Bridgend’s Helen Jenkins won her second World Triathlon Championships in 2011. The victory – which is based on performances over the ITU series - came after a superb season in which she won in London over the Olympic course in Hyde Park. She then finished runner-up in the season-ending event in Beijing. It was her third second place in the 2011 season.
In 2006 she suffered from an Achilles tendon injury and, after a fresh start in 2007, the ankle injury gave her trouble again. After intense work with Sport Wales’ sports science and medical team, she rehabilitated and made significant changes to her running style. She came back stronger than ever and stormed to her first World Championship title in 2008. In the same year, she competed at the Beijing Olympics (finished 21st) and married her coach Marc Jenkins.
Helen (formerly Tucker) was the British Junior Champion in 2003.
Jemma Lowe - Swimming
DOB: 31 March 1990
Event: 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly
Jemma Lowe is one of the most experienced members of the Wales swimming camp and is rising in prominence in her events.
The University of Florida student has been competing for 10 years and first swam for Britain in 2004. Since then she has gone from strength to strength finishing sixth at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006 in the 200m butterfly as well as claiming two silvers at the European Junior Championships in the same year.
Jemma - whose father is from Cardiff – also had a fantastic 2007 and in August at the National Championships in Sheffield she set a new British Senior Record for the 100m Butterfly in a time of 58.73 seconds. This talented swimmer is also the Welsh record holder for the 50m and 100m Butterfly and British record holder for the 200m butterfly which she set on the way to becoming British Champion at the Olympic trials in Sheffield in April 2008.
It was the 2008 British Championships that helped see Jemma one step closer to reaslising her dream of competing at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. She became one of seven British athletes to make the qualifying grade for the Games and went on to compete in the 100m and 200m butterfly, as well as the Women’s 4x100m medley relay. She finished sixth in the 100m final and reached the semi-finals of the 200m coming in ninth place and was also part of the women’s relay that came in fourth in a European record time.
2008 also saw Jemma win three individual gold medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games in India.
She took a bronze medal in the 100-metre butterfly in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Shortly after, Lowe took the decision to move to the British Gas ITC in Swansea to prepare for London 2012.
She finished 8th Jemma Lowe in 100m butterfly at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai.
David Davies - Swimming
From: Barry
DOB: 03 March 1985
Event: 400m and 1500m Freestyle
David Davies has caused quite a stir in the pool over the years and is one of Britain’s and the World’s most outstanding distance swimmers.
2002 saw David make a real splash in the swimming world after he became British hort Course Champion for the 1500m and for the first time qualified for a place on the British Senior Team. He then, at just 17, swam for Wales at the Manchester Commonwealth Games and took a staggering 50 seconds off his previous personal best in the 1500m Freestyle.
In 2003 David took silver in both the 1500m & 800m Freestyle and bronze in the 400m at the World Championship Trials. As part of the British Team he travelled to Barcelona for the World Championships, where he just missed out on a medal with 4th place in the 1500m Freestyle.
One of Barry boy David’s career highlights came in 2004 when he was presented with the Olympic bronze medal for the 1500m Freestyle in Athens. He had the race of his life setting a new European Record and personal best of 14.45.95mins, making him the second only British medal winner in the pool at the Games.
David is no stranger to the Commonwealth Games and with Melbourne 2006 came Davies’ first taste of gold medal glory. After securing a surprise bronze medal on the opening day of competition in the 400m Freestyle, he delivered Team Wales’ second gold medal of the event on the last night of swimming competition in the 1500m Freestyle.
Recuperation from a foot infection, clocking the fourth fastest time in the world at the 2006 Dutch Championships, bagging the bronze medal in the 2007 World Swimming Championships in Melbourne and a silver in the 1500m freestyle at the 2008 World Championships all followed.
The second of his career highlights so far came in 2008 when David was selected to compete for GB at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. He went one better than his success in Athens and bagged the Olympic silver medal in the open water event.
At the Commonwealth Games in 2010 he finished 4th in the 400m freestyle and 5th in the 1500m freestyle.
Sarah Thomas - Hockey
From: Merthyr Tydfil
D.O.B. 13 January 1981
Thomas has been playing field hockey since the age of 12, having played for Wales at all levels from under 16 to senior level, she is now in the Great Britain team for the London 2012 Olympics.
After studying for a degree in Sports Science at Exeter University, the midfield/forward player upped sticks to go and play hockey in Rotterdam. She is now back in the UK training at Bisham Abbey, where all the GB squad training takes place.
Thomas became only the third female Welsh player in history to represent Great Britain at an Olympic Games when she competed in Beijing.
For more information see the Great Britian Hockey Team website.
Elena Allen - Shooting
From: Newport
D.O.B.12 July 1972
Elena Allen set a world record in 2005 which was only recently overtaken in March 2012. In the same year, Allen won gold at the Belgrade World Cup and silver at the European Championships. She also became a bronze medallist at the World Championships in Finland in 2002 and the World Cups in Italy and Dorset 2010.
Both Elena and her husband/coach, Malcolm, won gold at the Commonwealth Championships in India 2010.
Allen began shooting following her mother's encouragement who was a former Olympic shooter herself.
Elena has a degree in modern languages from the University of Bradford and speaks Russian and German.
Jade Jones - Taekwondo
From: Flint
D.O.B. 21 March 1993
After taking up taekwondo at the age of six, at the suggestion of her grandfather, Jade enjoyed a prolific rise through the ranks to become the UK's number one ranked junior of any division, male or female.
Fighting in the -55kg division, the twice consecutive British junior champion, had an impressive 2010 by clinching Britain's first ever Youth Olympic Games gold medal in Singapore. That same year she won gold at the Paris and Dutch Opens before fighting her way to silver at the World Junior Championships in Mexico. A smooth transition into the senior fighting ranks resulted in a bronze medal at the European championships.
Now firmly established in GB Taekwondo's senior elite squad, fighting in the -57kg Olympic weight division, Jade's medal haul continued on a grand scale in 2011. Her highlight was winning silver at the World Championships in South Korea - missing out on gold by the narrowest of margins, losing in a sudden death decider against her Chinese opponent. She also picked up gold (-62kg) and bronze (-57kg) at the US Open, German Open silver, bronze at the Chuncheon Open, British Open gold and French Open bronze.
Another strong start in 2012 has seen Jade pick up German Open silver and a European Championship bronze.
Jade has picked up countless awards including BBC Wales Young Sports Personality of the Year and the Jaguar Academy of Sport Special Recognition and Star of the Future Awards.
She trains at the GB Taekwondo Academy in Manchester, on the World Class Performance Programme, under the watchful eye of Team GB Performance Director, Gary Hall.
Tom James - Rowing
From: Wrexham
D.O.B. 11 March 1984
Club: Cambridge University Boat Club
Boat: Men's four
Tom, a former Cambridge Blue, is the reigning Olympic Champion in the men's four, winning gold in Beijing in a thrilling race over Australia and France. He was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year's Honours list in recognition of his achievement.
During the 2011 World Cup Series, Tom and crewmates Matthew Langridge, Ric Egington and Alex Gregory won gold in both Munch and Lucerne.
At the 2011 GB Rowing Team Senior Trials held on 16-17 April at Eton/Dorney, Tom took second place in the men's pair with Alex Gregory after a thrilling race with the successful World silver medallists. This bodes well for Tom's return to training for the 2011 season after an injury in 2010 kept him out of competition for that year.
Tom took up rowing after a knee injury meant he had to give up running. He won his first GB junior vest in the eight in Duisburg in 2001, winning a bronze medal. In 2002 he was selected in the four for the World Rowing Junior Championships, taking a well-deserved silver medal.
Tom made his GB Senior team debut as a 19 year old in 2003, winning his place in the men's eight and stroking it to a very creditable bronze medal at the World Rowing Championships.
He has raced four times in the Cambridge Blue Boat in the University Boat Race - in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. In his final year as Cambridge President, Tom finally tasted victory for the first time.
In 2006 he was selected in the men's pair and took silver at the Lucerne World Cup. Tom won a bronze medal back in the eight at the 2007 World Championships in Munich. Then in 2008 he placed second in the last World Cup of the season in Poznan, before going on to Beijing for that cherished gold medal.
Victoria Thornley - Rowing
From: Wrexham
D.O.B. 30 November 1987
Club: Leander Club
Boat: Women's Sculling Squad
During the 2011 World Cup Series Vicky raced in the women's single scull in Munich finishing 9th. In Lucerne she moved into the women's eight finishing 4th.
At the 2011 GB Rowing Team Senior Trials held on 16-17 April at Eton/Dorney, Victoria finished 6th in the women's single scull.
At the 2010 World Rowing Championships on New Zealand's Lake Karapiro, Vicky and her crewmates in the women's eight finished 4th.
For the 2010 World Cup Series Vicky raced in the women's eight, winning gold in Bled, silver in Munich and bronze in Lucerne. This was a promising season for the women's eight who had shown consistency throughout the World Cup series.
She is GB's first "Sporting Giant" to win a medal. She joined the GB Rowing Team's Start Programme in November 2007 and has made rapid progress in rowing since then.
Vicky gained her first GB vest in 2009 and, in an outstanding debut, won gold in the women's eight at the 2009 World U23 Championships in Racice - GB's first ever gold in this class.
Vicky was previously a semi professional show jumper and also did some modelling in her gap year in 2006. She is now studying for a Diploma in Sporting Excellence and is a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer.
Chris Bartley - Rowing
From: Wrexham
D.O.B. 02 February 1984
At the first World Cup of 2011 in Munich Chris won a bronze medal in the lightweight men's four with crewmates Richard Chambers, Paul Mattick and Rob Williams.
At the 2010 World Rowing Championships on New Zealand's Lake Karapiro, in an incredibly tight final, Chris - along with crewmates Richard Chambers, Paul Mattick and Rob Williams in the lightweight men's four - took gold by seven hundredths of a second.
For the 2010 World Cup Series, Chris raced in the lightweight men's four winning gold in Munich and Lucerne and silver in Bled.
Chris started rowing at King's School, Chester, aged 14 and rowed for Great Britain in the Coupe de la Jeunesse as a junior. He continued rowing at the University of Nottingham where he completed a BSc in Biology and a MSc in Biological Photography, graduating in 2006. He then moved to Reading to train with the senior lightweight squad at Caversham.
In 2005, his first season of U23 trialing, he stroked the lightweight men's quad to a silver medal in Amsterdam. He was the World U23 Champion in the lightweight men's pair in 2006 with Richard Chambers, and in the same year went on to race in the senior lightweight pair at the World Rowing Championships finishing 6th. In 2007 he won a bronze medal at the World Championships in the lightweight quadruple scull.
Gareth Evans - Weightlifting
From: Holyhead
D.O.B. 18 April 1986
Twitter@Gazpin_69kg
Gareth has been competing in weightlifting for 13 years since attending Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi in Holyhead. After splitting his time between training and working as a painter and decorator in North Wales he made the permanent switch to Leeds to be part of the GB Weightlifting performance centre.
His career highlight to date was competing at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi 2010.
He is a product of the weightlifting stable under renowned national coach Ray Williams.
Natasha Perdue - Weightlifting
From: Swansea, currently based in Leeds
DOB: 27/07/75
Event: 69kg
Coach: Tamas Feher
Natasha has competed for Wales at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and 2010 in Delhi.
Born in Swansea, she now lives in Leeds. A bin lorry driver, she is a member of the World Class Weight Lifting Club in Yorkshire. Her father, Terry, was a weightlifter and her inspiration to take up the sport. He competed at two Olympics in 1968 and 1972 and three Commonwealth Games. Her brother, also called Terry, went to three Commonwealth Games.
In 2011, she won women’s 69kg category at the British Senior Championships with a snatch of 92kg and a clean and jerk of 111kg to total 203kg.
PB-92kg Snatch
111kg Clean & Jerk
Geraint Thomas - Cycling
From: Cardiff
D.O.B. 25 March 1986
Widely touted as one of the brightest young cycling talents in Britain, the 25 year-old has backed up his reputation with a succession of results.
The Team Sky rider is a multiple track world champion and Olympic and Commonwealth medallist to name just a few of his achievements.
Thomas began his cycling career with the Maindy Flyers at the age of 10 and went on to tally up wins at both U14 and U16 level. It wasn't until he rode to a silver medal at the European Championships that his potential was fully realised.
The Cardiff-born rider soon became part of the British Cycling Academy Programme and went on to travel the world competing in World Cup events. It was in Sydney in 2005 that Thomas was involved in a freak accident leaving him needing surgery to remove his spleen after a metal bar struck his team-mate's bike causing Thomas to crash into his handlebars.
He has since gone on to win a bronze medal for his home nation in the men's 40km Points Race at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games as well as a World Team Pursuit silver medal at the World Championships in Bordeaux. Add to that World Cup event medals, a gold in the World Track Cycling Championships in 2007 and a Team Pursuit gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - and that's not to mention the success he's achieved in the Tour de France.
He became the youngest rider to participate on the Tour in 2007 where he finished in 140th but it wasn't until 2010 that he really made his mark. Finishing in 67th overall, Thomas held the white jersey from Stage 3-7 and in 2011 held the Young Rider's jersey from stage 1-7.
A rider for the UCI ProTour team, Team Sky, Thomas recorded his first professional victory in May 2011 by winning the five-day Bayern-Rundfahrt race. In fact, 2011 proved to be a successful one in Thomas' road career; he finished second to Bradley Wiggins in the British National Road Race Championships and played an integral role in Mark Cavendish's victory at the 2011 UCI World Championship Road Race.
2012 is all about the track for Geraint with the aim of competing for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.
Nicole Cooke MBE - Cycling
From: Vale of Glamorgan
D.O.B. 13 April 1983
Cooke is one of Wales' greatest sporting talents. She has a whole host of achievements to her name - including gold at the Beijing Olympic Games.
At 16 she won her first senior national title, becoming the youngest rider to take the senior women's title at the British National Road Race Championships.
Asked how it all started, she says, "While growing up we did a lot of cycling as a family, even our holidays were on tandems!"
She turned professional in 2002, racing for the Spanish-Italian Deia-Pragma-Colnago team, basing herself in Treviso where she learned to speak Italian.
She's had an incredible career amassing World Cup, World Champion and Commonwealth Games titles and medals.
But it hasn't all been plain sailing. She underwent keyhole surgery in 2004 to cure an ongoing knee problem. She broke her collar bone in 2005.
2008 was a successful year. She joined Team Halfords BikeHut and went on to win her ninth national road race champion title. She stormed to a dramatic victory in the road race at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She became the first woman to become the road race World Champion and Olympic gold medallist in the same year.
She travelled to Delhi in 2010 to represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games. She finished fifth.
Dai Greene - 400m hurdles
From: Llanelli
D.O.B. 11 April 1986
Twitter: @DaiGreene
Greene delighted the Welsh nation when he stormed to gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. It completed a season in which he had vectored at the European Championships, the European Cup and the IAAF Continental Cup.
In 2011, he secured his career highlight to date: World Championship gold. The victory came in Daegu with a commanding and powerful performance to edge out Javier Culson.
He was also honoured at the end of the long 2010 season by the British Sports Journalists' Association for Outstanding Performance of the Year.
He was first introduced to athletics at Penygaer Primary School but didn't begin training seriously until he went to UWIC at the age of 18 and joined Darrell Maynard's training group. He graduated with a degree in Leisure and Sports Management in 2008. He is now based at the University of Bath and trains with Malcolm Arnold.
He once scored a goal against Real Madrid youth team when playing for Swansea City youth.
Christian Malcolm - 200m
From: Newport
D.O.B 3 June 1979
Twitter: @ChristianM200
Malcolm has been a firm fixture on the athletics circuit for a number of years and is still achieving at the highest levels.
In 2010, he took the bronze medal in the 200m at the Commonwealth Games. In Beijing in 2008, he went up against Usain Bolt in the 200m final. He finished in fifth place in what has been the fastest ever 200m Olympic final.
He arrived on the international scene in Zurich in 1997 when he beat the legendary Carl Lewis. 12 months later saw him thrill the nation by clinching 200m silver at Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games in a European junior and Welsh senior record time.
At the age of just 21 he stormed through to the finals at the Sydney Olympics where he finished fifth and ran through injury in 2002 to come 4th in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Prior to the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, the Newport sprinter - who had trials with QPR and Nottingham Forest when he was younger - was hospitalised with kidney failure during his preparations at the Team GB holding camp in Cyprus.
Yet, despite the very serious setback, Malcolm did get out of the blocks and managed to reach the semi-finals of the 200m.
Ryan Giggs - Football
From: Cardiff
D.O.B. 29 November 1973
The only surprise about Ryan Giggs being named PFA Player's Player of the Year in April 2009 was that it had taken so long for him to win the prestigious award.
After all, he'd previously received countless other individual gongs - including the PFA Young Player award twice in his early career - not to mention more team honours than any other United player in the club's illustrious history.
Ryan is United's record appearance-maker; he surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton's 758 on the night he helped the Reds secure a third European Cup triumph - his second - in Moscow on 21 May 2008.
He's also the only player to have scored in every Premier League season; he maintained that remarkable record with a volley in United's opening-day win over Newcastle in August 2010.
United's most decorated player might never have graced Old Trafford, however, had it not been for Sir Alex Ferguson's intervention. Cardiff-born Giggs was attending Manchester City's School of Excellence in his early teens, but Sir Alex made a personal visit to his house on his 14th birthday and Ryan jumped at the chance to sign for his boyhood favourites.
Ryan turned professional at United in November 1990 and made his league debut in the old Division One against Everton at Old Trafford on 2 March 1991 as a substitute for Denis Irwin. His first league start in 1991/92 also proved a memorable occasion, as he also scored his first ever United goal that day (albeit via a huge deflection off Colin Hendry) in a 1-0 win over Manchester City.
Giggs' first senior trophy arrived in November 1991 as United beat Red Star Belgrade in the European Super Cup final - Ryan came on for Lee Martin. He picked up his second winners' medal five months later as the Reds beat Nottingham Forest in the League Cup final. The following season, 1992/93, saw Giggs and United win the inaugural Premier League title.
Ryan was an integral part of two Double-winning sides, in 1993/94 and 1995/96, before going one better in 1998/99 byadding the European Cup to the FA Cup and Premier League trophy. His contributions to the Treble-winning campaign included a superb solo goal to win the FA Cup semi-final replay against Arsenal at Villa Park, commonly regarded as one of United's greatest ever goals.
Ryan celebrated 10 years at Old Trafford with a testimonial match against Celtic in 2001/02. A year later he bagged his 100th career goal in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and became only the second-ever player to play 700 games for United when he helped the Reds to a dramatic 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in March 2007. Two months later, he became a league title winner for the ninth time, beating the record of eight championship medals held by Liverpool legends Phil Neal and Alan Hansen.
In the interests of prolonging his club career at the highest level, Ryan retired from international football with Wales in June 2007 after 64 games and 12 goals. In October 2007, he extended his United contract to June 2009.
December 2007 brought two landmark feats - Ryan was awarded the OBE (Order of the British Empire) for his services to football and he scored his 100th league career goal in the 4-0 home win over Derby County.
Ryan crowned the epic 2007/08 season, his 18th in United's first team, by scoring the Reds' second goal in the last-day league win at Wigan and slotting home what proved to be the decisive penalty in the Champions League final shoot-out.
Giggs' career continued with a flourish during 2008/09, when he adopted a more central position in midfield or just off the main striker as the Reds retained the title.
Used primarily in his old wing position during 2009/10, Ryan was one of the Reds' most consistent performers until February when, in a challenge with Aston Villa's Steve Sidwell, he fractured his right arm and missed five weeks of football. The injury forced Giggs out of key European ties, as well as the Carling Cup final but he returned in late March to drive United's relentless (yet ultimately unsuccessful) bid for a fourth consecutive title.
Despite not adding to his medals tally, there was still much to celebrate personally in 2009/10. He was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year - on 30 November, the day after his 36th birthday - and a few weeks later he extended his Reds contract by one year.
Giggs' most recent season brought another landmark, as he surpassed Charlton's United league appearances record by playing his 607th game against Liverpool in March 2011.
He'd already penned another one-year deal and this was no sentimental gesture by Sir Alex: his elder statesman continued to produce some instrumental performances both in the middle and out wide. The 2010/11 title triumph was Giggs' 12th in total: it's a record that almost defies belief.
Please note that content for this biography was taken from the official Manchester United website.
Craig Bellamy - Football
From: Cardiff
D.O.B 13 July 1979
Boyhood Liverpool fan Craig Bellamy is one of the most dangerous strikers in England.
He is currently enjoying his second stint with the Reds having re-joined the club from Manchester City on deadline day in the summer of 2011.
The Welsh international had scored goals for Norwich, Coventry, Newcastle, Celtic and Blackburn when he fulfilled a dream of joining Liverpool in 2006 - and despite just one season in L4, he played his part in some dramatic victories.
The front man hit nine goals in 42 games, including a header in a 2-1 Champions League success over Barcelona in February 2007. He set up our other goal on the night for John Arne Riise as the Reds beat the reigning European champions in their own backyard.
Liverpool went on to reach the final, though Bellamy was an unused substitute. He was then sold by Rafael Benitez to West Ham.
But that was not the end of his Anfield journey. Despite scoring a string of important goals for cash-rich Manchester City, the Cardiff-born star somehow found himself surplus to requirements - but City's loss was most certainly Liverpool's gain.
Though used as a squad player by new boss Kenny Dalglish, Bellamy's contribution since his return has been superb - most notably the winning goal to send Liverpool to the Carling Cup final at the expense of his former employers from down the M62.
A month later Bellamy appeared as a substitute against hometown club Cardiff City - where he spent a season on loan the previous year - as the Reds lifted their first trophy since 2006.
Please note, the above profile is taken from the official Liverpool FC website.
Joe Allen - Football
From: Carmarthen
D.O.B. 14 March 1990
The Carmarthen born youngster, has been with Swansea since the age of nine and made his league debut in the final game of the 2006/07 season. His first start came in the carling Cup win over Walsall and the Welsh under 21 international turned in a man of the match performance.
Joe played an integral role in Swansea push for promotion in the 2008/09 season and achieved the Young Player of the Year award.
His form did not go un-noticed by Wales boss John Toshack who caslled the youngster into the senior squad for the end of season internationals against Estonia and Azberbaijan, making his debut against the former.
Under Brendan Rodgers, Joe Allen made 43 appearances in the Championship including the play off final.
Please note that content for this biography was taken from the official Swansea City website.
Neil Taylor - Football
From: St Asaph
D.O.B 07 February 1989
Swansea signed highly rated Welsh international from Wrexham.
The 21 year old was born in St Asaph and spent 6 years at Manchester City as a youngster.
He made over 80 appearances for his home town club whre we also earned a place in the Welsh Under-21 squad before winning his first senior cap under John Toshack in a friendly in Croatia in May 2010.
Despite being offered a new deal at Wrexham, Taylor opted for the option of the Championship with Swansea. Now a regular in the senior Wales squad, he established himself as a regular in the left back spot last season for the Swans and made 30 league appearances.
Please note that content for this biography was taken from the official Swansea City website.
Aaron Ramsey - Football
From: Caerphilly
D.O.B. 20 December 1990
Aaron is one of the most promising midfielders in the Premier League.
Signed from Cardiff in the summer of 2008, the Wales international appears to have it all: technique, vision, workrate, an eye for goal and a range of passing that makes him a perfect fit for Arsenal's engine room.
Aaron made great strides in his first season, bossing a Champions League game at Olympiacos and scoring his first goals in the Premier League and at international level.
His steady progess was checked by a sickening injury suffered at Stoke in February 2010 but Aaron has put that behind him and showed he was back to his best with the winner against Manchester United last term.
Now captain of his country and a vital cog in the Arsenal midfield, Aaron is ready to go from strength to strength this season.
(Please note, the above profile is taken from the official Arsenal FC website).
Marco Loughran - Swimming
D.O.B 24 March 1989
An impressive display as a junior saw Marco pick up a silver medal in the 2005 European Youth Olympics, a bronze medal in the 4x100m medley relay in the 2006 European Championships and a gold medal in the 100m Backstroke at the European Junior Championships in 2007, along with three silver medals in the 50m and 100m Backstroke and the 4x100m medley relay.
Marco swam for GB at the 2009 European Championships in Rome in the 100m and 200m Backstroke and the 50m Freestyle.
In Delhi 2010, Marco's best finish was 4th place in the 100m backstroke.
Marco has returned home to the UK, taking a year out of his studies at the University of Florida in order to prepare for the Olympic Games. He has resumed training at the Surrey Sports Park with Chief Coach Richard Garfield & his coaching team at Guildford City and the University of Surrey Swim Squad.
Brett Morse - Discus
D.O.B. 11 February 1989
Twitter: @Brett_Morse
Morse attended Stanwell Comprehensive School in Penarth and started his career when he was 17 after competing at a Cardiff schools competition and, after winning, was then catapulted into national competition.
He trains at the NIAC in Cardiff and has strength and conditioning training with a crop of up and coming Olympic and Paralympic throwers at the Sport Wales National Centre.
He holds the Welsh national senior record, the Welsh all-comers record and the British under-23 record and became the first Welsh athlete to the win the discus at the UK Championships.
He was the UK's leading Junior in 2007 and 2008 and is a massive Manchester United fan and says the biggest influence on his athletics career is his family.
In May 2010, he threw in the prestigious Halle competition in Germany where he won the U23 meet with a throw of 61.27m. This has established Morse as the World number one U23 thrower.
Morse threw for Wales at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, finishing in a respectable sixth place, and in 2011 was selected to compete for GB at the European U23 Championships.
The holder of a degree in Sports Management, Morse took part in Aviva Star:track as a youngster and now coaches for the scheme as well as coaching the U11 team at his local football club, Penarth Town.
Rhys Williams - Athletics
D.O.B. 27 February 1984
Twitter: @rhys400h
Cardiff-born Williams has followed in the family footsteps by choosing a career in sport; his dad was a British Lions and Welsh rugby player, his sister was involved in GB junior athletics and his brother also represents Wales in athletics.
He agonisingly missed out on the 2008 Olympics due to stress fracture in his foot. He sustained the injury while taking part in the Welsh Championships just two months before. It was the first time he had competed since suffering a similar injury a year earlier.
Back in business in 2010 he took silver, behind fellow Welshman Dai Greene, at the European Championships in Barcelona. Then, a few months later, he was on the rostrum once again. This time, at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi when he took bronze.
Former pupil of Ysgol Gyfun Llanharri, he first got involved in athletics at the school and now trains in North London with Dan Pfaff.
Frankie Jones - Rhythmic Gymnastics
D.O.B. 09 November 1990
Five times British Champion, rhythmic gymnast Frankie started in gymnastics as a hobby and has now been competing in rhythmic gymnastics since the age of nine, when she switched from the Artistic discipline.
Her career highlight to date was undoubtedly the silver medal that she picked up for Team Wales at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010.
After finishing fourth in the individual all-around, the 20-year-old qualified for all four apparatus events. She narrowly missed out on bronze medals in the rope and in the ball and finished sixth in the ribbon. But it was the hoop that gave Frankie her podium position and helped Team Wales to secure 19 medals.
She has just competed in her third consecutive World Championships in Montpellier, France, which is the first qualifier for the London Olympics in 2012. She finished the top qualifying British gymnast and, as such, is one step closer to competing in London, she just waits for confirmation from BOA.
The former pupil of Sir Christopher Hatton School in Wellingborough trains in Birmingham.
Gareth Warburton - 800m
From: Caernarfon
DOB: 23 April 1983
Club: Cardiff AAC
Twitter: @garethwarburton
Warburton already had one Commonwealth Games under his belt after travelling to Melbourne. But in Delhi 2010, he doubled his distance and stepped up from 400m to 800m.
The Caernarfon runner – who started out as a promising rugby player - just missed out on the medals when he placed 4th.
He has now been competing for more than 10 years.
Along with the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Gareth classes winning a relay silver in the European Indoor Championships 2005 as one of his career highlights so far.